Adaptation of the Tele-Harm Reduction Intervention to Promote Initiation and Retention in Buprenorphine Treatment Among People Who Inject Drugs

Annuals of Medicine: Adaptation of the Tele-Harm Reduction Intervention to Promote Initiation and Retention in Buprenorphine Treatment Among People Who Inject Drugs

The Tele-Harm Reduction (THR) intervention is a multicomponent, telehealth-based and peer-driven intervention to promote HIV viral suppression among people who inject drugs (PWID) accessing a syringe services program (SSP). This study examined buprenorphine initiation and retention among PWID with opioid use disorder who received the adapted THR intervention at the IDEA Miami SSP. The study found that harm reduction settings can adapt dynamically to the needs of PWID in provision of critical lifesaving buprenorphine in a truly destigmatizing approach. This intervention can be adapted for initiating and retaining people who inject drugs with opioid use disorder on buprenorphine within a syringe services program setting.